Articulating hinge assembly for use with a gaming machine cabinet

Abstract

An electronic gaming machine that includes a cabinet, a display, and a hinge assembly coupled therebetween. The hinge assembly includes a first bracket coupled to the cabinet, a second bracket coupled to the display, and at least four pairs of interdigitated members extending between the first bracket and the second bracket. The hinge assembly is selectively expandable and retractable between a retracted position and an expanded position, and the hinge assembly is configured to swing the display from a lowered position to a raised position as the hinge assembly is expanded from the retracted position to the expanded position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic gaming machine comprising:
 a cabinet;   a display; and   a hinge assembly coupled between the cabinet and the display, the hinge assembly comprising:
 a first bracket coupled to the cabinet; 
 a second bracket coupled to the display; and 
 a linkage system extending between the first bracket and the second bracket, wherein the hinge assembly is configured to move the display along a range of motion from a lowered position to a raised position, the range of motion including a first segment extending downward and outward from the cabinet to an apex and a second segment extending upward and outward from the apex. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly is selectively expandable and retractable between a retracted position and an expanded position, and wherein the hinge assembly lifts the display from the lowered position to the raised position as the hinge assembly is expanded from the retracted position to the expanded position. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the range of motion is parabolic, and wherein the apex is exterior to the cabinet. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the linkage system includes a plurality of interconnected link pairs, each link pair including a first link, a second link, and a pivot joint coupling the first link to the second link. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein, when the hinge assembly moves the display from the lowered position to the raised position, the pivot joints of each link pair of the plurality of link pairs define the range of motion of the hinge assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of link pairs comprise:
 a first link pair coupled to and extending from the first bracket at a first pivot point; and   a second link pair coupled to and extending from the first bracket at a second pivot point;   a third link pair coupled to the first link pair at a third pivot point, coupled to the second link pair at a fourth pivot point, and coupled to the second bracket at a fifth pivot point; and   a fourth link pair coupled to and extending from the second bracket at a sixth pivot point, and coupled to the second link pair at a seventh pivot point.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the display is oriented substantially vertically when the display is in the lowered position, and is oriented substantially horizontally when in the raised position. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly has a range of motion configured to progressively increase a distance between the first bracket and the second bracket as the display is moved from the lowered position to the raised position. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the linkage system includes a first link pair and a second link pair pivotally connected to the first link pair, the first link pair including links having a linear shape and the second link pair including links having an oblique shape. 
     
     
         10 . A hinge assembly comprising:
 a first bracket configured to be coupled to a gaming machine cabinet;   a second bracket configured to be coupled to a gaming machine display; and   a linkage system extending between the first bracket and the second bracket, wherein the hinge assembly is configured to move along a range of motion from a lowered position to a raised position, the range of motion including a first segment extending downward and outward from the gaming machine cabinet to an apex and a second segment extending upward and outward from the apex.   
     
     
         11 . The hinge assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the hinge assembly is selectively expandable and retractable between a retracted position and an expanded position, and wherein the range of motion is parabolic and the apex is exterior to the gaming machine cabinet. 
     
     
         12 . The hinge assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the linkage system includes a plurality of interconnected link pairs, each link pair including a first link, a second link, and a pivot joint coupling the first link to the second link. 
     
     
         13 . The hinge assembly in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of link pairs comprise:
 a first link pair coupled to and extending from the first bracket at a first pivot point;   a second link pair coupled to and extending from the first bracket at a second pivot point;   a third link pair coupled to the first link pair at a third pivot point, coupled to the second link pair at a fourth pivot point, and coupled to the second bracket at a fifth pivot point; and   a fourth link pair coupled to and extending from the second bracket at a sixth pivot point, and coupled to the second link pair at a seventh pivot point.   
     
     
         14 . The hinge assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the linkage system includes a first link pair and a second link pair pivotally connected to the first link pair, the first link pair including links having a linear shape and the second link pair including links having an oblique shape. 
     
     
         15 . An electronic gaming machine comprising:
 a cabinet;   a display; and   a hinge assembly coupled between the cabinet and the display, the hinge assembly comprising:
 a first bracket coupled to the cabinet; 
 a second bracket coupled to the display; and 
 a linkage system extending between the first bracket and the second bracket, the linkage system including a first link pair and a second link pair, the first link pair including links having a linear shape and the second link pair including links having an oblique shape, wherein the hinge assembly is configured to swing the display from a lowered position to a raised position. 
   
     
     
         16 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the first link pair is coupled to the first bracket at a first pivot point and the second link pair is coupled to and extends from the first bracket at a second pivot point, wherein the linkage system further comprises:
 a third link pair coupled to the first link pair at a third pivot point, coupled to the second link pair at a fourth pivot point, and coupled to the second bracket at a fifth pivot point; and   a fourth link pair coupled to and extending from the second bracket at a sixth pivot point, and coupled to the second link pair at a seventh pivot point.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the third link pair includes links having an oblique shape and the fourth link pair includes links having a linear shape. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the second link pair is interdigitated with the third link pair. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the hinge assembly is selectively expandable and retractable between a retracted position and an expanded position, and wherein the hinge assembly swings the display from the lowered position to the raised position as the hinge assembly is expanded from the retracted position to the expanded position. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic gaming machine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the second link pair includes a first section, a second section, and a third section, the first section being oriented obtusely relative to the second section, and the second section being oriented obtusely relative to the third section.